


Stay

by yourfavauthor



Category: NieR: Automata (Video Game)
Genre: Aftermath, Android, Angst, Comfort/Angst, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Hope, Post-Game(s), Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:48:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27174080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yourfavauthor/pseuds/yourfavauthor
Summary: "'Emotions are prohibited.”Just because they’re prohibited, doesn’t mean they’ll just up and disappear by themselves. Right, 2B?"—9S, (Nier: Automata's Strategy Guide/Game Chapters)
Relationships: 2B/9S (NieR: Automata)
Kudos: 25





	Stay

**Author's Note:**

> "'Emotions are prohibited.'
> 
> If I smother these feelings of mine that just won’t go away and hide them deep within my heart, will I get to always be by your side, 2B?"
> 
> —9S, (Nier: Automata's Strategy Guide/Game Chapters)  
> (Not betaed fic - author)

Before he could remember his own name, his place in this decaying world, before he could even remember her name, and the meaning of her words, all he could hear was the silence, and then, her soft voice, muttering _"emotions are prohibited." _Mechanical, cold. How many times she said those same words to how many oblivious 9Ss?__

__Like an old, so old, fading memory he heard his own awkward response _"ugh, er, sorry ma'am" _he remembered, back then he was afraid YoRHa was gonna dig into his human-ish behavior.___ _

_____"9S.. please don't die alone... " _who was that? Popola? Devola? The audio was hissing inside his head, like a damaged music box. He didn't know which one of the twins spoke to him _"2B wouldn't want that". ______ _ _ _

_________"I know... " he remembered his answer, he never intended to die alone anyways, and he didn't, he dragged A2 along, that poor excuse of android._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________That day he had died for.. the last time..?_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________He could feel it, the human like emotions, forbidden and unwanted crawling their way around his black box, and felt like dying again, one more time, for the umpteenth time, maybe._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________But this time, it wasn't rage, hatred, the toxic black anger, the need to avenge and destroy, to kill. No, not this time. Sadness, grief was threatening his sanity, if he had any._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________Gently, he opened his eyes. Too confused and scared. What happened after the end? What comes after death? The humans never knew and he couldn't find an answer._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________Back then, he knew about her death and that was everything. Her death consumed everything. He could live on forever in a destroyed world, crawling with those stupid, evil machines, he could live over a thousand years and die a thousand times more, literally, without YoRHa and their lies, the ignorant operators - his friends and "sisters", slaves of the system; he could live without his pod - that he knew it, had acquired will, personality and fiercy loyalty even facing his selfish madness; he could live without sweet and gentle Pascal, Jean-Paul and the silly, innocent villagers; without Jackass and every Ressistence member - victims; he could live in the machines blank fake human-like city, without any sound and color but her presence within him, if she could stay in his memories, forever._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________If emotions were forbidden why would humans make synthetic versions of themselves? To suffer? Why would android make types S? To adquire knowledge and let it consume themselves, repeating mistake after mistake, loving and losing, loving and losing again. Like a game._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________If he could take away her pain every time she killed him with her own loving hands... But even after such horror he would never want to forget her, like she haven't forgot about him. She was the strongest one._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________"Emotions are prohibited." _Her voice echoed once again, distant like something spoken by a human. Long gone, a ghost.__ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________He could understand now, why she tried so hard to not let him become so close. Loving is losing. It hurts._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________He opened his eyes to what comes after death..._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________The world was white... and cold._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________He frowned, looking at the snow, falling slowly, lazily through the hole on the ceiling. It had been snowing for a while now, if the mount of snow on the floor was anything to go by._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"Where am I?" He muttered, but his pod wasn't there to answer._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________He sat on the old bed the only furniture in the room and prepared to hack himself. He was mostly in good condition, no logic virus, no holes in the fuel filter, electromagnetic shield okay, memory data bank.. er let's not go there. He remembered enough to know he shouldn't dig into it._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________"The time I was able to spend with you...." ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____________No no no! If he was gonna be tormented for eternity with her last words, he would rather self destruct. For Good._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________"It was like memories of pure light." _Her voice echoed.__ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______________He got up, noticing how everything - but his location - seemed ordinary. His old YoRHa uniform, Cruel Oath and Virtuous Treaty- black and white katanas leaning against the wall like nothing had happened._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______________Smoothly, he maneuvered the swords to their natural position, floating behind him, because he knew it, wherever he was he would need to fight. The fighting would never stop. And after a little hesitation he exited the room._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______________"Why do androids wear blindfolds.. 2B?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______________Pascal?_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______________The old fashioned robot was in the center of the large room, here the ceiling was almost all gone, thousand years and no maintenance, like any other human building, rusting and wasting away like old bones. Someone - the robot presumably - had cleaned up the snow before, but it was pilling up again, you cant fight winter, he was gonna stop it sooner or later._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______________"These are not blindfolds, actually." she replied._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________SHE _replied. 2B.__ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________Or was that just a random 2B model, randomly showing up in front of him as a fate's or God (?) joke, a cruel sense of humor._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________"These are visors, it can see hiding machine weak spots and devices..." She was grouching next to Pascal, wrapping a black cloth around a 'child' machine,a makeshift scarf. Black dress and high heels, he missed just looking at her... But that couldn't possibly BE her._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________"There's a symbolism there." 9S heard himself speaking, but it was like listening to another person. Maybe he was delusional, the last seconds of conscience before his last death, some stupid dream where they could say goodbye. "It looks like a blindfold because Androids aren't supposed to see the truth."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________She stopped... And stood. "And yet..." She said, turning to him, painfully slowly, killing him just a little bit. It looked like his 2B, stoic and shy and he couldn't help but walk towards her. Just to look at the copy of his 2B - 2E - face once more. "... YOU see it."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________He nodded but made no other move, to walk away, to keep his distance when she reached out to him, her gloved hands untying his blindfold._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________"I do."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________Her icy blue eyes met his, the white snow in their white hair, once again he thought about bones wasting away._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________"And that's okay." She smiled, just a little bit, the corner of her mouth twiched and he felt warm all over, just like that time she said his voice was calming. 'Emotions are prohibited my ass, I was made differently, that's unfair' he thought._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________9S balled his fists,shaking. "You're gonna kill me for that."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________"Not this time. Not anymore." 2B discarted his blindfold in the snow and placed her hand on his face._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________"Have I lost it? Am I insane?" He whispered._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________"Innacurate. YoHRa unit Number 9 Type S is in good psychological state." Pod 042 replied and 9S felt a flow of relief that could drown him, or give him wings. If he was going crazy, he may as well go crazy with hope and love. If that was THE Pod 042,that was HIS 2B._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________"Proposal" pod 153, his own tactical support unit said "9S should ask whatever he needs regarding the current situation"._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________"You're not dreaming... Ni..nes."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________"Then what is this, 2B? We all should be dead."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________A movement on his right indicated someone was coming, but he didn't dare take his eyes of 2B, usure that anything there was really happening, afraid that the illusion would fade if he looked away._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________"After the YoRHa squads had been defeated in land, we got an email." That voice..the S model hiding in the Forest King Keep. "A standard email, notices about the recent lost battles in land and casualties... Later on I noticed the email had been sent after the bunker personnel had been infected with the logic virus. We were out of communication but the system was intact... After the virus died out I was able to hack it.. And find some interesting data."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________9S turned to him but his hand remained on her cheek. "What data? The mankind extinction?" It wasn't in him to care about YoHRa stupid lies anymore._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________"That too." 4S nodded._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________"Before unity A2 black box signal disappeared" 042 said, its mechanic familiar voice calming down 9S "I noticed the bunker net connection was online, so I transfered your data, her data...and 2B memories, stored in Virtuous Contract, her sword."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________He was speechless._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________Pod 153 broke the silence with a quote _"Machines are weapons capable of evolution. We can grow. We can become... aware." _____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________________The scanner recognized Adam's speech._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________________"We're not so different from the said machines." Pod 042 broke the impersonal mechanic speech pattern and that was unsettling to say the least. "We're also evolving, we also became aware. We came to care about YoRHa units 2B, 9S and 2A, so we did what we could to save you all. Together with YoRHa units 4S, Popola and Devola, we could fix discarded copies of the said units, and transfer data and what we could save of memories to the brand-new black boxes."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________________"But how-"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________________"I hacked the bunker network, remember?" 4S interrupted. "To learn how to make black boxes using machine core, thanks to you guys there was plenty of material laying around. Popola helped me out."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________________"I've... Waited for so long Nines... " 2B said and he stepped back. There was something wrong, androids weren't permitted to be happy. Happiness was a stupid utopia! Their fate was to love... and lose. To feel alive just to feel like dying._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________________"Nines!" She grabbed his face, looking into his eyes. "I am here, at this very moment."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________________"It can't be... "_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________________"Proposal" pod 153 said "9Ss should hack into 2Bs system and check her memories for himself."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________________And so he did._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________________The thought he was inside her, her psyche, her data and memory made him feel a foreign feeling of excitement._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"You're thinking about how much you want to-" ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____________________"SHUT UP!" 9S screamed in his head. He was gonna go crazy - again - if he didn't find a way to exorcist Adam from his thoughts._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____________________"Nines...?" he focused his eyes on her figure, aesthetic and sexy. She was offering him her hand so he took it._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____________________He was inside her memory storage, he could see pictures and scenes, some he didn't even recognize but he was there too, talking and smiling enjoying countless missions together._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____________________"You were stuck in a looping, always starting over, like you didn't know me, like that was the first time youve meet me. But as a type E... I had to watch you close, watching you die by my hands... No matter what I-... No matter what WE felt. And because you're a type S your increasing curious nature, smart and observant, couldn't just simply trust anyone... "_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____________________Adam's voice muttered in his head _"You do not trust anything.” _____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______________________"They kept us together. I was happy I could stay with you even when you forgot all about me... But I... I've never forgot about you." She gestured to the dozens, hundreds, thousands of displays around them, his face was on most of them, fighting alongside, petting a child machine, complain about YoHRa abusive ordens, smiling even tho that was forbidden... "This is my treasure. Recording all of this for myself, my secret... Was that wrong? It made me suffer even more..? Yet, the logic virus destroyed some-"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______________________"2B!"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______________________If emotions are prohibited, why do androids can cry?_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________"You want to be loved by all." _Adam never lies.__ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________________"2B" he hugged her hologram version, the world outside could burn for all he cared. "I don't wanna die, but I don't wanna live without you."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________________"Eh? Let's go."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________________"But-"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________________"We can hug with our physical body."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________________"But-"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________________"I promise."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________________And so they did._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________________Outside, everyone had left, they we're alone now and the snow accumulated around their ankles._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________________"Let's run away. Let's betray YoRHa, I don't care about them!" 9S said "I only care about you."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________________She smiled. For the first time - since he could remember that is, and, the human like emotions once again flooded his being._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________________"YoRHa won't be a problem. We took control over that bunker network, they can't track us."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________________It meant-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________________"We can do whatever we want."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________________It was snowing harder now, his synthetic skin could feel it._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________________"2B..."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________________"Nines?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________________"Do you... Wanna stay? Stay with me?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________________Another smile. He could get used to it._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________________"Yes."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________________That couldn't be real, right? He deserved oblivion. "Have I lost it?" He muttered, his hands grabbing his hair "have I gone insane?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________________"Shhh" she whispered, wrapping him with her arms "we're here... at this very moment."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________________"I love you 2B."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________________"I love you too... Nines."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


End file.
